


rewind :: unwind

by kyarorin



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Ikrie/Aloy if you squint, introspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 10:05:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12909666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyarorin/pseuds/kyarorin
Summary: In between practice runs for their challenge, Aloy takes a moment to ponder her life, the things she finds, and the people she meets. Ikrie takes a moment to remind Aloy that snow is very, very cold.And wet.





	rewind :: unwind

Aloy turned the figurine over in her hand, holding it up to the light to take in more of the details. 

Another curious trinket for a curious scholar. 

Sunlight rippled over the figurine's body, highlighting its sculpted fur all the way up to its pointed, familiar face. It looked like no flesh and blood creature she'd ever seen- but a scorcher? Oh, yes.

Softer, and possibly friendlier- except, well, she knew GAIA had based the machines off of animals that had once existed. So... Probably not friendly. (Why did she  _ feel _ like this creature could be?)

She had to wonder what the scholars of the Old Ones had known about whatever creature the statue was. They were capable of such amazing things, these- what were those words she'd heard in so many recordings? Scientists. Researchers. This group of people with such specialized knowledge that they could break down the stuff of  _ life-  _ this  _ DNA _ \- and somehow store it so GAIA could start anew. 

But all Enjuk had were his eyes and his intuition, not the Old Ones' advanced technology. There was  _ so much _ locked away in those deep bunkers and she hadn't even started to scratched the surface. 

_ And yet.. _ .  _ I find the loss of megafaunal species... unaccountably sad. _

Was that what this was? She supposed she'd find out once she brought it to Enjuk and heard the projection's little spiel. 

Aloy sighed and paused, listening to her Watcher's warning clicks as she warmed her self on the rocks. 

The redhead sat up and looked in its direction, laughing and calling it over. 

Ikrie was watching the machine's retreating back with a look of surprised. "I'll never get over what that spear of yours can do, Aloy." There was amazed laughter in her voice as the other young woman sauntered over and plopped down next to her.

Nestled on the sun-side of mountain, this little crevice collected all of its heat and allowed one frost nipped Nora to warm up between practice runs. 

"Huh, interesting- looks like some sort of animal. What is it?" The other young woman asked, pulling out a dried piece of boar from her bag and biting into it.

"Dunno," Aloy murmured, tilting it again to look at its forward facing eyes. "Looks like a scorcher."

There was silence next to her, and Aloy looked to see Ikrie's amused but disbelieving glance. So maybe they were huge and bulky and had no tails. "Just... some of the things I've learned about the Old Ones," she sighed.

"That sounds like a song for tonight." Ikrie leaned forward, her eyes locked with Aloy's as her head tilted rather coyly, her tone curious and questioning. 

Aloy barked out a laugh, "Oh, no! I am  _ not _ singing. You don't want to hear that, trust me."

Looking none too impressed with Aloy's humility, Ikrie leaned forward and plucked the figurine from her hand. "She's taken down thunderjaws, explored ruins further than any Oseram devler ever dreamed of, and won the  _ right _ to lead a Banuk werak." As she spoke, Ikrie put the artefact down and eyed Aloy from under her hood. "And yet she won't sing."

Clicking her tongue, Ikrie stretched back against the rock and shook her head, staring off over the hunting grounds. "You and Mailen- you couldn't be more different, you care for people, not tradition and yet..."

"And yet?"

Ikrie's head fell back as she laughed, "Ugh! You're both so serious, and stubborn about it." The hunter's hood fell off as she shook her head, "You're an amazing, kind person, Aloy- but you're so humble and serious all the time. The time to be serious during this challenge is when we're on the hunt, not now. So, come  _ on _ , brag a little!"

Aloy's lips pressed together in an amused, dry smile. "You're not the first person to tell me that." And yet her heart raced a little at the thought of unwinding, of really letting loose and having  _ fun _ . Around anyone who wasn't Rost?

It'd never gone well.

Yet she was here, alone, with Ikrie- there were no wary Nora, ready to pull others away from the outcast- or now, from the Anointed- to whisper in the other's ear to keep their distance.  _ Not sure I prefer the reverence over the distrust. _

And Ikrie's hazel eyes were bright with mirth and playful challenge. 

Aloy didn't have to worry about Nora tradition here in The Cut- nor did she have to worry about  _ Banuk _ moral trappings, at least not with Ikrie- but how did she share what she knew? Where did she even  _ begin _ ?

Sudden, wet, burning cold made it's way down the back of her thick furs, and Aloy shrieked. 

Ikrie hummed thoughtfully, rolling another fist full of snow between her palms as Aloy practically danced in a circle to try and get the last, unmelted bits out from under her clothes. "Y'know..." Ikrie's voice was teasing. "Maybe you're right. If that sound you just made is  _ any _ thing like you're singing voice..."

Oh, it was  _ on _ .

Eyes narrowing, and lips pressing together, Aloy stooped and scooped up her own snowball. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> pls cry with me over Aloy and how great she is?? pls cry with me over the multiple great ladies you can also totally ship her with, bless you guerrilla


End file.
